Hello,
I am planning to go to France and would like to stay at a B&B in Bretogne. The proprietor sent me a Releve d'Identite Bancaire (RIB). I assume that this is some way for me to place a deposit for the room. Does anyone have experience doing this? If so, could you explain the procedure?
Thanks in advance!
Tony
RIBs don't work for us because the owner is asking you to wire money from your bank to hers to hold the room. You can check out the price of a wire, but most people on the Forum explain to owners that it costs us x-amount to wire and ask if there is an alternative. This indicates to me that most of the people who use this B and B are Europeans; for example, in Germany people don't even get check books anymore because everything is wired bank to ban. In France we give a RIB to a company when we want to set up a monthly payment for for something.
Yes, the RIB is merely the B&B owners bank account details so you have accurate information for doing a wire transfer. My bank charges $30 to do an international wire transfer with the help of an employee or $20 if you do it online. Of course, one should make sure that the exchange rate offered by the bank is not ridiculous. All you have to do is bring the RIB to the ban and tell them how much you want to transfer in Euros and all details needed for sending the wire should be included in the owner's RIB.
Thank you Bets and JHK for your responses. I contacted my two options for doing the transfer and was told there was a fee of $25 or $40. Sigh, Seems like alot for a 18 euro deposit.
Tony
That's what I meant by it doesn't work for Americans usually. However, most posters have said that the owners have been flexible when they heard about the fees and let people handle it another way. There's no fee in Europe. It's like writing a check.
Anyone from the USA tried out transferwise.com?
Although it seems to cost a bit more as a result of the USA banking system it is still relatively inexpensive.
I agree with the other posters -- when I've had a host ask for a wire we discuss other options. In Paris our host simply has me write/mail him a check (USD, drawn on my US bank account) and he holds that as the security until we depart. (Then he tears it up, assuming there's no issue on departure.)
Most of our other hosts now use PayPal. This has worked in various places in France, in Portugal, in Croatia, and in Slovenia.
